They’re often dismissed as harmless – but those tiny skin tags on your neck or under your arms could be an early sign of a hidden health problem.
Experts say that people who develop lots of the small, fleshy growths are more likely to have insulin resistance – a little-known condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes.
They also warn than many doctors fail to connect the two issues – meaning patients who suffer skin tags may be falsely reassured they are merely a cosmetic concern.
Skin tags are extremely common and usually nothing to worry about – they are thought to form as a result of consistent friction over the skin’s surface.
But when they appear in clusters, particularly around the neck, armpits or groin, experts say they can be a clue that the body is struggling to process sugar properly.
This happens when cells stop responding to insulin – the hormone that controls blood sugar. The body tries to compensate by pumping out more, and that hormonal imbalance is thought to trigger the growth of skin tags.
The problem is that insulin resistance can go unnoticed for years. Blood sugar levels may still look ‘normal’ on standard tests, even as damage quietly builds in the background.
Over time, the condition can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as heart disease and fatty liver disease.
Doctors stress that having a single skin tag is not a cause for concern. But if you suddenly notice lots appearing, it could be worth getting checked – especially if you also have other risk factors such as weight gain or a family history of diabetes.
A simple blood test from your family physician can assess your risk and catch problems early, when they are far easier to reverse.
For years, California resident Janet Peets, 44, was told by multiple doctors that the skin tags developing on her body were simply a result of aging.
They appeared initially during a pregnancy 15 years ago, vanished, then returned in 2022. Each physician assured her the growths were purely cosmetic and nothing to worry about. None suggested a connection to her metabolic health.
Beyond the skin tags, Peets reported at least 12 signs of metabolic dysfunction, including unexplained weight gain of 35 pounds in nine months, severe exhaustion after meals, persistent brain fog that left her unable to finish sentences, constant carbohydrate cravings, rising blood pressure unresponsive to medication and elevated liver enzymes.
Peets told Newsweek she spent years researching her own symptoms. It was only after she specifically asked her doctor whether insulin resistance could be the answer that the diagnosis was confirmed.
Upon diagnosis with insulin resistance in 2025, she was also found to have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and continued high blood pressure.
The signs had been ‘building for years,’ she said, but no medical professional had connected the dots.
She said: ‘When I learned this, it was one of those moments where everything seemed to make sense. I’d been walking around with a visible sign of what was happening metabolically, and nobody had ever mentioned it.’
Following her diagnosis, Peets adopted a strict regimen to reverse her condition. She consumes 100 grams of protein per day while keeping carbohydrates under 50 grams.
She performs resistance training multiple times per week, walks after every meal, completes 10,000 steps daily, and takes specific supplements.
Within just ten weeks of implementing these changes, Peets lost 18 pounds. Her cravings disappeared entirely, her energy levels noticeably increased, and her plantar fasciitis resolved completely.
While Peets’ story is striking, she is far from an isolated case. Medical research has long established a direct biological link between multiple skin tags and underlying metabolic dysfunction.
Specifically, high insulin levels trigger the proliferation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, the cells that form the outer layer of skin and connective tissue. This overgrowth manifests externally as acrochordons, commonly known as skin tags.
Skin tags linked to insulin resistance tend to appear in specific areas, including the neck, armpits and groin.
These are not random locations. These areas contain higher concentrations of cells that are more susceptible to hormonal stimulation.
When multiple tags appear in these regions, particularly in a patient who is not elderly or obese, it raises a red flag for metabolic disease.
Insulin resistance can exist for a decade or more without ever registering on a standard fasting glucose test. The pancreas works overtime to keep blood sugar normal, so glucose levels appear healthy even as insulin climbs dangerously high.
By the time glucose finally rises, the pancreas is often exhausted and the patient has already developed prediabetes or full-blown type 2 diabetes. This is why skin tags are so valuable as an early warning system.
A patient with multiple skin tags and normal glucose may still have severe insulin resistance and may be years closer to a deadly diagnosis than they realize.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association acknowledges that while skin tags are common in people who are overweight, pregnant or have loose skin, they are also associated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, many physicians fail to make this connection in routine practice.
Experts recommend that any patient presenting with multiple skin tags, especially if accompanied by fatigue, belly fat, high blood pressure or unexplained weight changes, should receive a fasting insulin test, not just a glucose test.
A comprehensive metabolic panel, including liver enzymes, is also advised.
‘I know so many women who feel helpless and are trying to figure out how to get their health and sanity back – I was one of them,’ Peets said.
‘Even if your doctor keeps telling you that you’re fine, listen to your body. You don’t have to accept a slow decline as inevitable, and you deserve to be equipped with information to start moving the needle in the right direction.’
